Sweet Potato and Parmesan Gratin

This is one of my favorite holiday recipes - rich, layered and completely delicious; sure to be a favorite at your Christmas Party - see the full article with other recipes at CITISCAPES MAGAZINE | https://www.citiscapes.com/eats-drinks

Sweet Potato and Parmesan Gratin

 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

2 tbsp butter, room temperature

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cups heavy cream

Technique 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter medium sized cast iron skillet or casserole dish.  Place sliced potatoes in a bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, and half of the cheese.

Transfer potato mixture to the cast iron skillet and cover with cream.  Bake for 25 minutes, then top potatoes with remaining cheese, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes until potatoes and cheese are golden brown.  Allow dish to rest approximately 10 minutes before serving. 

Wonder Woman of the High South - Paula Jo Henry

Who; Paula Jo Henry

Where: Crepes Paulette, Bentonville

What: Pumpkin Cheesecake (Fausse) Mousse

Dighero’s Insights: Paula Jo Henry might be the hardest-working woman in the food biz of Arkansas – first, as owner and operator of the Crepes Paulette food truck, undeniably the most coveted culinary experience of its time at the Bentonville Farmers Market, and now, guiding that success into the award-winning brick and mortar paradigm of the same name, also located in Bentonville. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Fausse) Mousse

Pumpkin butter ingredients:

3 ½ cups steamed, pureed sugar pumpkin (or canned pumpkin)

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Pinch of salt

1 ½  to 2 cups water

Technique:

Preheat oven to 450. Mix all ingredients until smooth (mixture should be “soupy”). • Pour into greased 8” x 8” pan. • Bake for 20 minutes. • Remove from oven and stir. • Repeat this step two more times, until liquid has evaporated, leaving a creamy, smooth paste. • Let cool.

Mousse ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream (cold)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup cream cheese

¾ cup pumpkin butter

Cinnamon

Speculaas cookies (or other buttery, crisp cookie), crushed

Technique:

Combine the cream, powdered sugar and cream of tartar in a pre-chilled bowl and whip to hard peaks (1 to 2 minutes on high with electric mixer). • Place in refrigerator. • Gently warm the cream cheese in double boiler or microwave and whip until smooth. • Add the pumpkin butter and mix until fully incorporated. • Retrieve the whipped cream from the refrigerator and fold in the pumpkin mixture with a large rubber scraper until just uniform. Do not overmix. • Keep in the refrigerator until serving. • Serve topped with a little cinnamon and a generous sprinkling of fine cookie crumbs.

  Makes 10 half-cup servings.

 Paula says to load mousse into a piping bag or Ziploc with a frosting tip of your choice and “pipe” into stemmed champagne or wine glasses.

Full Article Here: https://www.citiscapes.com/eats-drinks